The Greywater Guerrillas
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Other Projects

Direct Greywater:

Branched Drain to Bamboo in Berkeley, CA.

Washing machine to large yard in Arcata, CA

Outdoor pedal-powered washer in Oakland, CA.

How to do drip irrigation with greywater.

Constructed Wetlands:

Tiered wetland -- greywater passed through three wetlands, in Austin, TX.

Small wetland to filter shower and grow cattails for use in Oakland, CA

Pretty wetland and wash water in Oakland CA

Bathtub wetlands -- to treat shower water, in Oakland, CA.

Kitchen sink water garden -- in Los Angeles, CA.

Shower water -- another shower system in Seattle, WA with a surge tank.

Composting Toilets:

The prettiest composting toilet in Oakland, CA.

Elevated indoor composting toilet in Oakland, CA

Rainwater Harvesting:

Kitchen Sink Water Garden

Constructed 2001, Los Angeles, CA

  • Goals: To create backyard wetland habitat, and to clean water for vegetable irrigation
  • Site description:  A detached house with one resident and most plumbing buried in cement slab.
  • Fixtures and output: Kitchen sink, 25 gallons a week.
  • Cost: Total: $100
  • Designer: Greywater Guerrillas

Water flow:

From kitchen sink to elevated wooden tub by gravity, then by gravity through second and third tubs. 

Effluent from third tub is collected in a bucket for hand watering.

 Most water is transpired by wetland plants; this is essentially a water garden, rather than irrigation system.  		Gretchen with her wetland
  • Specifications and Notes: As the greywater irrigates and is consumed by these water loving plants it is being cleaned and used-up ecologically (as opossed to going to the sewer treatment plant).  
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  • Maintenance and trouble shooting: The half wine barrels, while an ideal size for a low-flow treatment wetlands, eventually developed leaks and had to be lined with pondliner. Even when lined, the wooden barrels will decay in time.